Author's Q&A
Bless the Moon, fifth in “The Jemma Series” by Sharon McAnear
An unforgettable, folksy love story set in the ‘60s and ‘70s in smalltown, Texas. Don’t miss the delightful characters, risky escapades, and charming peeks into lively Chillaton. Texas native Sharon McAnear says, “The Jemma series is more than a love story. It rekindles a sweeter time when family and friends were everywhere, and you were frequently glad of it. When needed, the good citizens of Connelly County stood ready to help out with chores, form a prayer circle, or stretch the truth about your situation. Take your pick.”
We know you’ll enjoy Sharon’s books as much as we did. Read Sharon’s answers to our questions. Learn more at http://www.SharonMcAnear.com
Q: Tell us a little bit about your book, Bless the Moon.
A: Three new residents arrive in Chillaton, Texas, during the frigid winter of 1973, but those aren’t the only happenings whipping around in the Panhandle wind. The society page editor of the Chillaton Star makes a whopper of a typo that has the whole town gossiping. A neighbor’s once-dead wife reappears, and the outspoken U.S. of A. postmistress inherits a gun-totin’ mother-in-law. New mom, Jemmabeth Forrester, feels like a zombie and her whole world turns upside down as her grandmother acquires more than just her belated college diploma, and her Aunt Do Dah runs smack dab into Cupid and the law.
Is all of this related to the tornado-warning whistle that blasted errantly during a clear, frozen dawn in January or has the Love Generation movement come to Chillaton?
Q: This is book five in the series. Where did the idea for the series come from?
A: Did you ever want to take one of those Interstate exits to some little town barely on the map? I grew up in several such places across the Texas Panhandle. So many of those small communities have dwindled in population; however, there were those Saturday nights when Main Street was very much abuzz with life. The Jemma Series portrays the abiding spirit of church-going farm folks, and reveals their social attitudes, (both good and bad), during the late fifties, sixties, and early seventies.
Q: Tell us about the journey in writing a series with five books. (How did you keep things in order—did you use a story board so you wouldn’t forget characters, places, relationships, etc.)
A: A few of the events and people in my stories are expanded versions ferreted from my own experiences and family stories. For the rest, I have a binder with photos I’ve clipped from magazines to illustrate characters’ faces, hairstyles, clothing, homes, pets, cars, etc. – all pasted on one or more pages per character. I record notes about them in the margins that include physical descriptions, personality traits, and important relationships and milestones in their lives.
Q: How long did it take to write the book? Over what period of time did you write the series?
A: I wrote Bless the Moon in four months. The whole series took about seven years from my first chapter in a writing class through the last novel’s publication. About half that time was spent looking for someone to take me on as an author.
Q: What is your writing schedule like?
A: After a book is published, I wait a couple of months before jumping back into writing. I read bestsellers, a few classics, and then I have to collect my own ideas for my next novel that are often scribbled on scraps of paper around the house. When that’s done, I’m at the computer every chance I get. My editor, Ramona Tucker, is my go-to woman for advice and encouragement.
Q: Do you have an agent?
A: No.
Q: How did you choose the title for Bless the Moon?
A: From the nursery rhyme – “I see the moon and the moon sees me. God bless the moon and God bless me.”
Q: Please tell us the titles of the other four books in the series and a brief blurb about each one.
A: Book One—Jump on the shiny Zephyr passenger train in 1965, and begin your journey back to the small town of Chillaton, Texas. Come on, you’ll like Willa’s cobbler, and maybe you can help Jemmabeth Forrester make up her mind about a whole slew of things. CORNER OF BLUE
Book Two—Faith and God’s Great Plan come hammering down on Jemmabeth. Will she walk the tracks forever without her true love? IN MY BONES
Book Three—It’s a taste of married life in the ‘60s – bad casseroles and all. TASTE OF GOLD
Book Four—See for yourself how good intentions can get out of hand, even if you are Prince Charming or if you got a “sign from above” via a duck. DUST OF ORION
Q: Are you working on another series? If so, could you give us a little bit of information on what it is about?
A: I’m busy writing the first book in the Stars in My Crown series. The novels chronicle the lives of Jemma and Spencer’s children. Never a Starless Sky is due out next autumn. Annalisa, a tiny character in Bless the Moon, is the heroine of the novel. The following books will each feature the other “stars” in Jemma’s crown that she’s garnered from raising Drew and Betsy.
Q: What advice would you give to someone wanting to write a novel?
A: Write every day with passion, but every other day – edit like crazy.
Q: What were the biggest obstacles you experienced in writing and publishing a novel?
A: Getting anyone to take a real look at my first novel was most discouraging. An unknown author’s work is often ignored/overlooked by agents and big publishing houses. Divine Intervention must have matched me up with my publisher, OakTara.
Q: What author, not living, would you like to talk with?
A: Mark Twain, the “father of American literature” according to Faulkner and Hemingway, is my hero. Actually, Gary Larson is my hero, but he’s a cartoonist and still alive.
Q: Do you have a favorite, among the novels you have written? (Like asking a parent if they like one of their kids better than the others.) If so which book is it and why?
A: Each novel has its own personality, but Bless the Moon made me laugh more than the others and I do like that in a child.
Q: What do you read for fun?
A: Hmm…Marian Keyes is fun; Alice Munro is splendid; and Anne Lamott makes me think. If I have a couple of long flights, I go for David McCullough.
Q: What is the most important idea or thought that you would like readers to have after reading your book?
A: “Kindness, patience, and a heavy dose of humor may not keep the wolf from the door, but he’d sure be hard-pressed not to sweeten his intentions.” I think that’s the way Lester, the town sage in Bless the Moon, would answer this question, and I agree.
Q&A with Brent Jeffs, author of Lost Boy
See our review for this May release: http://reviews.armchairinterviews.com/reviews/lost-boy
Q: Please briefly share with our readers your definition of a “Lost Boy.”
A: It is a boy who is kicked out of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints church and tossed into the real world to fend for himself with no guidance at all.
Q: How old were you when you became a “Lost Boy,” and what were the circumstances that led you to leaving the FLDS (the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints)?
A: I was 15 years old and was told by my uncle Warren Jeffs that I was not worthy to hold the priesthood anymore. I was not to return back.
Author Profile: Peter Rennebohm, Minnesota Author
Peter Rennebohm has worked successfully with a small traditional press on publishing all three of his suspense/crime fiction books. Enjoy this Author Q&A.
Read our reviews:
Buried Lies—http://reviews.armchairinterviews.com/reviews/buried-lies
Blue Springs—http://reviews.armchairinterviews.com/reviews/blue-springs
Q: What made you decide to become a mystery writer?
A: That wasn’t my intention. When I started I had no idea about different genres, so “mystery writer” meant nothing to me. I just wanted to write a book that was more of an adventure with lots of action (see French Creek). Actually I consider my writing suspense, or crime fiction genres.
Andrea Shares Her Experiences at Writers Festival
Questions asked by Connie Anderson, and answered by Andrea Sisco, who was on four panels at the October 2008 James River Writers Conference in Richmond, Virginia.
Q: Who invited you to participate?
A: I met a delightful author, Emyl Jenkins (Stealing with Style) back when Armchair Interviews started. I interviewed her and we ‘hit’ it off and became long-distance friends. She co-chaired the conference and invited me.
Read this answer and the rest of the article.
Co-Authors of Dragonfly Series Talk About Children’s Books and Independent Publishing
John and Clea are a husband-and-wife writing team–and thus share answering these questions.
Q: Tell us a little bit about Feather Rock Books.
A: Clea: John and I co-founded Feather Rock Books in 2005. We divide the responsibilities of running the company. Our mission is to publish literature for all age groups–transforming life’s bumps and bruises into uplifting stories.
Our first children’s book, The Dragonfly Door, was released in 2007. The Dragonfly Secret, which John and I co-authored, is our newest title due out in October 2008. It is a companion book to The Dragonfly Door, written by John.
Read this answer and the rest of the article.
Q&A with Sylvia Dickey Smith, author of Deadly Sins Deadly Secrets
Sidra Smart & The Third Eye mystery series
Published by L & L Dreamspell
Q: What drew you to writing in the mystery genre?
A: That’s a mystery! Oops, sorry, couldn’t resist. Seriously, I had a story I wanted to tell and after much consideration and consultation with other writers, I decided that mystery was the genre to best fit the story.
See our review: http://reviews.armchairinterviews.com/reviews/deadly-sins-deadly-secrets
Andrea Sisco Interviews Publicists from St. Martin’s Minotaur
St. Martin’s Minotaur is in my top five publishing houses to work with. They publish good books (and their mysteries are among my favorites) but it’s more than that. It’s the people connection. Jessica and Hector are a dream to work with. They are hard working, fun, personable, timely and know their jobs! They should get raises (that is for their boss).
Seriously, it’s difficult to run this site and juggle reviewers, publicists, authors… You get the picture. Jessica and Hector make my job so much easier. And like I said, their books are grand.
Enjoy the interview with Jessica and Hector. It’s fascinating. I’ve been in the business for years, and learned so much from them.
Q: Describe your job as a publicist for St. Martins Minotaur, Jessica and Hector.
Read this answer and the rest of the article.
Q&A with Carl Nelson, author of Madam President and the Admiral
Q: What drew you to writing in the military thriller genre?
A: It seemed natural to me, because I had a 33-year career in the Navy. As a career senior naval officer, I have Washington D.C. experience as well as tactical and strategic war experience.
Q: Where did you get the idea for Madam President and the Admiral, and why did you chose a women to play the President of the United States in your novel?
A: This is a sequel to my earlier novel, Secret Players where the lead character of Madam President is a well-drawn, natural carry-over.
See our review: http://reviews.armchairinterviews.com/reviews/madam-president-and-the-admiral
Q&A with Cyndia Depre, author of Oblivious
Fiction
Mundania Press
Q: Tell us a little about your newest novel, Oblivious.
A: Oblivious began as a way for me to vent. It was never meant for others to see. It was part therapy, part writing exercise, and helped make me giggle after writing a dark scene in Amanda’s Rib, my first book. Through a series of bizarre accidents, others saw it and laughed. I never thought anyone else shared my sense of humor. It seems I was wrong, and that’s when I began taking the book seriously.
Q&A with Mystery Author David Housewright
Interviewed by Jeff Foster
David Housewright is the Edgar Award-winning author of the Holland Taylor and Rushmore McKenzie novels and other tales of murder and mayhem in the Midwest. His books include: Dead Boyfriends, Pretty Girl Gone, Tin City, Hard Ticket Home, Penance, Practice to Deceive and Dearly Departed.
Q&A with Author Brian Freeman
We are pleased to have this Q&A with the very popular author, Brian Freeman.
Minnesota author Brian Freeman writes psychological suspense novels featuring detectives Jonathan Stride and Serena Dial. His books have been sold in 46 countries and 16 languages and have appeared as Main Selections in the Literary Guild and the Book of the Month Club. His debut thriller, IMMORAL, won the Macavity Award for Best First Novel and was a finalist for the Edgar®, Dagger, Anthony, and Barry Awards. He just release STRIPPED, based in Las Vegas.